How to get around Sydney

Sydney is the city where you can have it all, from natural settings to iconic buildings. The capital of New South Wales, Sydney, is surrounded by Sydney Harbour. The city has wildlife parks, fine eateries, and cultural heritage centers, making it a perfect holiday destination, but If you are wondering How to move around Sydney to find these amazing spots, Don’t worry, we are here to help you. 

You can get around Sydney easily by trains, buses, taxis, and even your vehicle. The city is transport friendly providing an efficient network of public transportation. 

The best way to get around Sydney is through the widespread subway network and buses. You can also opt for the Hop on Hop off service provided by Red bus and enjoy sightseeing without worrying about transportation. 

Sydney Public transport is easy to navigate, here is a list for you to travel easily and enjoy the city.

Sydney Subway

A rapid automated rail system, the subway, commonly known as ‘Metro,’ is easy to navigate through the Sydney Subway map to avoid the busy routes. Easily accessible, the lines run between Tallawong and Sydenham with 21 stops on the Metro North West and Bankstown line. 

The frequency of Subways is efficient for travelers as you get one after another in a minimum of 4 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes during peak hours. The 6-car trains have the capacity of taking 1100 people to their destination. While the seating capacity is approx 400, the standing passengers get comfort with a smooth run of rapid metro and modern infrastructure supporting them to travel easily. Sydney subways are safe for solo travelers, women and groups as well. To access subways, you need to get a Sydney MetroCard called Opal card. The Opal card is reusable and you can get it recharged at airports or train stations. 

They are valid for buses, ferries, and intercity train services as well. Just tap your Opal card before and after exiting, and the trip is charged as per the predetermined rates. They are affordable, as a single trip can cost you from $4 for 10km to $12 up to 65km. 

The subway starts early at 4:08 am from Tallawong and at 4:54 am from Sydenham. The last train leaves at 11:50 pm from Tallawong and 12:24 am from Sydenham. The trains run on all seven days of the week as per the Sydney Subway schedule.

Sydney Train

Sydney has a wide network of trains touching upon the neighboring cities, making transportation easy for your perfect holiday. The train runs on 8 lines from T1 to T8 with sub-rail T9 and covers 161 stations. Hete are the details of Sydney Train Map

  • T1 – North shore and Western line 
  • T2 – Leppington and Inner West line 
  • T3 – Liverpool and Inner West line 
  • T4 – Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line
  • T5 – Cumberland line 
  • T6 – Lidcombe and Bankstown line 
  • T7 – Olympic Park line 
  • T8 – Airport and South line 
  • T9 – Northern line 

The main terminus is the Central Station; most lines pass through this station, and you can find several famous spots near the station. 

The NSW transport app is advised to be used to check the Sydney Train schedule of trains every day. The trains stop operating between 12 am and 5 am for maintenance, and NightRide is available as a bus service at stations. 

An Opal card is used for Sydney train tickets. The card is charged as per distance covered and it is calculated when you exit your destination. You can travel anywhere via trains from $4 to $12.

Sydney Bus

Buses in Sydney are fun to travel. All iconic spots like Hyde Park and Sydney Tower have bus stops right at their entrance. Buses are available in different shapes and forms, from open-top double-deckers to custom coaches.

Commuter bus services are available in 11 contract regions as per their geographic locations on the Sydney Bus map

  • Explore the northern beaches by taking the B1 Mona vale route to the Central Business District. 
  • For the southern western parts of Sydney take T80 Liverpool to Parramatta. 
  • For the eastern suburbs take the 300 series buses and 600 series for the western suburbs. 

Some buses, like the B-line, start as early as 4:30 am and stop at midnight every day. The city has a robust system of buses operating 24 hours on all days of the week. Some of these buses follow the following routes – N10, N11, N20, N30, 304, 324, 390X, 423, 500N. You can travel easily late at night or early in the morning with these buses.

Opal tickets are affordable for bus travelers, whereas single-trip Sydney bus tickets for individual buses are also available, but they are a little pricey. 

Opal tickets range from $3 to $5.60 as per the distance and can be easily used on trains

Sydney Taxi

Taxi services are widely used in Sydney by locals as well as travelers. They are easily available on stations and roads. You can also get the best taxi service in Sydney via apps or phone calls and pre-book your pickup at any location.

You can book a taxi in Sydney via trusted apps. For airport pickup, you can call Fast Maxi or Premier Cab. You can also share your cab to save on some cash and book rideshare services from Uber and 13CABS. Other cab services provided are Rydo, Legion Cabs, and RSL. 

Sydney taxi price is calculated on a meter facing the passenger, the charges include-  

  • $4.10 – Hire Charge 
  • $2.36 per kilometer (first 12 km), $3.23 after that on weekdays, and $3.85 on weekends till 10 pm. 
  • Waiting time is up to $58. 
  • One-way travel in Sydney City costs around $45 – $55 via taxi. 

Sydney is also popular for its bike-friendly routes. You can explore the city on rented bicycles. The city is equipped with parking spaces where your vehicles can be kept while traveling. Explore the city through any form of transportation and enjoy your holiday.